Setting eggs today 5/31/11

[NYRIR]

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I don't know but if you are getting consistently bad hatch rates I would change something....see how that works and if it doesn't...change the next thing and see and so on. I always have my humidity at 50-55%for chicken eggs and get decent hatch rates. Ducks just require a higher Rh I think.
IMO 30% is too low...but then you have people hatching with the dry method? It's so confusing! I think climate, elevation etc. play a role ya know?

I was thinking to up my humidity too. But ill be done hatching this season now. Now just trying to see if i can find local cheap chicks to grab. Unfortunately everyone is to far for my dh to approve the drive. All well if im lucky to get at least one hen ill be good.

who knows its early still so ill see what happens on day 10. Ohh my first harch had a bad temp spike early so that could've been a problem that time

So you hatch some...and then buy some? What's your program there? Do you hatch purebreds and buy meat birds?

 

[LilyD]

I have six definitely growing chicks. They are moving like crazy and are much bigger than they were before. One egg had a bloodring on it and it looks like two others maybe didn't develop. The funny thing is those three are not any of the shipped eggs. Those are developing great. I can't tell if my Ameraucana eggs are developing. They are too dark to see through. At one point I could see veining but not anymore. Now they are just dark. Is this a good sign?

I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[NYRIR]

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How many days along? All the eggs I have hatched I could see through...must be frustrating when they're dark...teaches patience for sure!

I just candled as well...the bad thing is...I forgot which day I actually set them!

There were 8 total...one was infertile and all 7 others are growing

Veins with a little throbbing blob in the middle!! Yay....more ducklings

 

[LilyD]

We are day 12 this afternoon. The ones I can candle show definitely active embryos that are be bopping around having fun in there. The green eggs I can't really see much at all. They are very dark I can see shell and nothing else. Some of the three Ameraucana I can see veining in different angles but no movement since the shell is just too dark to see anything going on. We have had no temp issues though and so far everyone else looks to be on track so I am thinking they are just going to be my mystery eggs. Only 9 days to go until hatching

 

[LilyD]

Okay so I made a few videos of my candling for today. I am finding incubating truly fascinating and cool

Mixed egg

Buff Orpington egg 1

Buff Orpington egg 2


They are all moving like that and I can now see veining in my green eggs I still can't really see movement from the baby but I can see some veining toward the bottom. I am assuming that the baby is just too big and the egg is too dark.

 

[NYRIR]

Awesome Lilyd!!! Excited for you!
I am so afraid I am a day off or so on mine...grrr....blast my forgetfulness! I just want to lockdown at the right time...

 

[LilyD]

As I was watching the videos last night I could see a foot or a wing in the last video. That chickie was definitely the most cooperative giving me lots of good photo ops

NYRIR I think you will do fine. I know my memory is terriblel so I have started writing everything down for each egg batch. It's super helpful to keep a record. My next batch is going to be 12 light brahmas to add to my layers and 30 mixed eggs. We'll see how it goes.

 

[NYRIR]

Are your mixed eggs for meat? I hear it's hard to sell mixes...I personally love the variety you get.For example, out of my last hatch of mixes...I got a hen that has NH red colors but has dark grey lacing on her back...and green legs...I had NO birds with green legs at the time

I'm hoping to start breeding and selling next year.DH says he's going to build me a bator that'll hold 600 eggs! I'll be trying my hand at Geese,Turkey,Ducks,and Bantam chickens.I'm think my MF D'Uccles...
Yes, I ALWAYS write it down,,,,don't know why I didn't this time

Anyway, I should be able to tell within a day or so of hatch time....I hope.

 

[LilyD]

I am keeping the biggest and the heaviest for laying so that I can make the babies I get larger. I will be using some for meat and some for laying. I am trying to work on a dual purpose bird that is a good egg layer but with a decent breast meat and higher growth rate than normal so I am looking at the chicks I get with that in mind. I also would love to get one or two broodies in the bunch as well.

 

[NYRIR]

Very nice. I am going to be trying to breed my Delewares I just got yesterday for meat purposes.But I am going to try to breed for size,feather pattern and body style. I'm hoping to get some good quality nice looking Delewares . i will sell some as well.At least that's the plan.I only have the mallard eggs in right now because I really wanna see if I can get another restricted.I have one female restricted mallard that was yellow as a duckling...everyone thought she was a silver appleyard...nope...restricted mallard bought from the local TSC.I guess they usually only happen like 1 in 5,000 so my chances would be slim even if it IS passed on by a parent...Probably not but I have to try...1st,2nd and 3rd generations at least